Crucible is a geodemography

Geodemography

Geodemography includes the application of geodemographic classifications for business, social research and public policy but has a parallel history in academic research seeking to understand the processes by which settlements evolve and neighborhoods are formed...

 computer system created by the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

-based grocery company Tesco

Tesco

Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...

. The system is run by a subsidiary Dunnhumby

Dunnhumby

dunnhumby is a United Kingdom-based Retail media group, best known for being key to the creation of Tesco Clubcard. Currently a subsidiary of Tesco, the company employs 1,200+ people in 30 countries....

. The system collects information from the company's loyalty program, "Clubcard

Tesco Clubcard

Tesco Clubcard is the loyalty card of leading British supermarket chain Tesco. The Clubcard scheme operates in the UK, Ireland, Poland and several other countries, and in the UK market in particular has been highly successful, with over 15 million members as of 2010.-History:In 1993 Terry Leahy...

", as well as aggregating information from other geodemographic databases and other sources. The system has been used to sell customer information to other companies in the UK, leading to accusations in 2005 that the company, with its large share of the UK shopping sector, has become too powerful.